Casting machine



March 31. 1925. 1,531,765

L. A. sToRz CASTING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1920 56 v 59 1 x m 55 9 fiwemor 60 5 Leon Jzarz. i All" 7 Eyflffarrig Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED sTAres LEON A. s'rozez, or wonciis'rnn, MASSACHUSETTS.

CASTING Application filed May 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, LEON A. STORZ, a citizen of the Jmted States, res ding at vVO'rcester, in the county of Worcester and Com monwcalth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Castingtion with the casting operation to force the molten metal into the-mold. It is to be understood, however, that my machine is ca pable of application to other classes of work which may require the formation of relatively small metal castings.

The ob]ect of my lnvention is to provide a casting machine of the class indicated that embodies the essent al elements of previous pressure-operated casting machines in a novel combination of parts, whereby the general effectiveness and adaptability of such machines is greatly increased.

Metal casting machines of the pressure operated type, as heretofore constructed,

have usually comprised a stationary casing or flask containing the mold in which it is desired to cast the metal, and a relatively:

movable head adapted to seal the flask and to connect it to a suitable source of pressure for forcing the previously melted metal into the mold Such prior machines have also made use of a separate burner located at one sideof the pressure head for melting the metal before the application of pressure, and difficulties have been encountered in properly coordinating the operation of the fuel and pressure controlling means, particularly when more than one fuel medium is employed.

By my invention I propose to provide an improved type of casting machine in which the pressure and fuel controlling means are embodied in a single stationary member with respect to which the flask carrying the mold is movable. In this way, the pressure medium and the fuel medium are adapted to pass through a common nozzle centered with relation to the mold, and the flow of the several mediums is so controlled by the relative movement of the flask and mold that the transition from the burning of the MACHINE.

1920.- Serial 1%. 379,296.

fuel to: the application of pressure is accomplished almost instantaneously; These and other'advantag'eous features of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear, reference being had to-the accompanying drawings, in which V Figure l is a View partially in side elevation and partially in section of my improved casting machine.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional View of a modification of the fuel and; pressure controlling means-shown in Fig. 1. y

Similar reference characters refer to simil-ar parts in the difi'erentfigures.

Referring to the drawings,'the machine generally comprises a frame 1 having a horizontal base 2 upon which is formed an upwardly extending cylindrical portion 8. A casting table at is provided with a plunger 5th'at extends downwardly into a central opening 6 provided in the portion 3'. A" rocker arm 7 pivotally connected to the plunger 5 by meansof a pin 8 operating in a slot 9, is carried upon a rocker shaft lO'rotatably mounted upon a lug 11 projectingupwardly from the base 2. An operat ing handle 12- is provided on the rocker shaft 10, by means of which the arm 7 may be turned to movethe table 4: up andfdown with respect 'tothe base 2, the arm 7 being provided at its end with aslot 13' to permit free movement of the pin 8' therein. The plunger 5' is provided with toothed portions 14 and 14 which are adapted to be engaged by the end of a pawl" member 1 5 pivotally mounted upon the portion 3, as shown at 1'6, and movable through a slot 17 in the wall of portion 3. The pawl member is provided with an operating pin 18, by means of which it may be moved into or out. of engagement with either of the toothed portions 14 when it is desired to lock the table 4 in either its upper orjlower position. The table 4 is provided with a recess 19 in which is seated a hollow cylindrical casing or flask 20' for containing the mold. The casing 20isfilled with investment material 21 and a mold, as indicated at 22, is formed therein by suitable means. A con.- vex depression 23 is provided in the material I 21 and is in communication Withthe mold 22', through a sprue-way-2st. A quantity of metal 25 is located in the depression 23 and is adapted to be melted and subjected to pressure by various instrumentalities which will now be described.

The frame 1 bends over as shown at 1 and terminates in a cylindrical portion 26 that is provided with a central longitudinal opening 27, within which valve members 28' and 29 are adapted toslide. The upper valve member 28 is provided with a central passage 30 that leads from the lower end of the member to radial passages 31 and 32, as best shown in Fig. 2. The member 28 is further provided with spaced peripheral grooves 33 and 33 that are adapted to seat a ball 34 forced inwardly toward the member 28 by means of a spring 35. hen the ball 34 is seated in the lower groove 33, the valve member 28 is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1. The valve member 28 is also provided with an enlarged head 36 and a guide pin 37, by means of which the member 28 may be depressed a predetermined amount in order to bring the radial passages 31 and 32 into register with the open ends of supply pipes 38 and 39, re spectively. The pipes 38 and 39 are connected to separate sources of supply of suitable combustible gases, such, for example, as nitrous oxide and ordinary illuminating gas, the flame produced by the com bustion of these gases having been found suitable for melting metal for the formation of castings.

The lower valve member 29 is provided with a central mixing passage 40 extending longitudinally therethrough and communieating at the lower end of the member 29 with a recess 41 within which is located a nozzle 42. vThe valve member 29 is also provided at its lower end with a plate 43 that is provided on its lower face with a plurality of concentric packing rings 44, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. A spring 45 surrounds the valve member 29 below the end of the cylindrical portion 26 and maintains an enlarged portion 46 of the valve member in engagement with a shoulder 47 provided. on the cylindrical portion 26. A radial passage 48 communicates with the mixing passage 40 of the valve member 29 and is adapted to register with the open end of a supply pipe 49 which is connected to a source of pres sure. The upper surface of the plate 43 is provided with a pair of upwardly extending stops 50 which are adapted to limit the upward travel of the valve member 29 within the opening 27, so as to cause the passage 48 to register exactly with the pipe 49 when the valve is moved upwardly to the full extent of its travel. The supply pipes 38 and 49 are connected by suitable tubing 51 to a tank 52 of combustible gas,

such as nitrous oxide, under considerable pressure. A needle valve 53 is provided on the pipe 38 for regulating the amount of gas supplied to the flame through the pipe Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown a modification in the form of the valve mem bers, by means of which a mixture of air and a suitable combustible gas may be employed for producing the flame. The upper valve member 54 is provided with a com bined radial and longitudinal passage 55 within which is secured a pipe 56 terminating in a jet 57. A second passage 58 is also provided in the valve member 54 which extends from its outer periphery to the lower end of the member 54 where it is enlarged. The lower valve member 59 is provided with a central opening 60 within which extends the pipe 56, a space being left around the pipe. The opening 60 is closed at the bottom bya plate 61 having a depression below the jet 57 and a central nozzle opening 62.

The pipe 38 is connected to a suitabl source of air pressure and the pipe 39 is connected to a supply of combustible gas, so that when the passages 55 and 58 are caused to register with the pipes 38 and 39, respectively, the air leaving the jet '57 will draw the gas from the passage 58 downwardly into the space surrounding the air pipe 56 and will eject it through the nozzle opening 62. The valve member 59 is also provided with a radial passage 63 that is adapted to register with the high pressure supply pipe 49 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus described the parts entering into my invention, the operation thereof is as follows :The mold 22 having been formed in the casing 20 in any suitable manner, a suflicient quantity of metal 25 is then placed in the recess 23 and the casing is positioned on the table 4. The head 36 of the valve member 28 is then depressed by hand, thus bringing the pipes 38 and 39 into communication with the longitudinal valve passages 30 and 40. The valve member 28 is held in this position by the ball 34 engaging in groove 33". The separate sources of gas supply are under pressure sufiicient to cause the gases to be mixed in the passages 30 and 40, before passing to the nozzle 42. The mixed gases are then ignited at the nozzle 42 and the metal. 25 is heated by the flame thus produced until it reaches the desired molten condition preparatory to forming the casting. The amount of heat to which the metal is subjected is readily controllable through the handle 12 by means of which the distance between the nozzle 42 and the metal 25 can be varied at the will of the operator. the desired molten state, the handle 12 is moved downwardly to the end of its stroke, thereby raising the flask 20 until its top engages the plate 43, Continued upward When the metal 25has reached movement of the table 4 causes the lower valve member 29 to be moved upwardly until the stops 5O engage the lower edge of the portion 26. The upper valve member 28- moves with the lower valve member, thereby -ausing the radial'passages 31' and 32ito'be' moved out of register witlitheend of* the pipes 38 and 39. This in'miediately cuts off the flame and at almost the same instant the radial passage 48. registers with the end of the pressure pipe 49, thereby a'dmittingtho medium under pressure to the passage' lt). The pressure forces the molten metal through the sprue-w'ay Qetinto the mold-22. The pressure is held between the plate 43 and the upper edge of the flask 20 by means-of the inner packing'ring't t which is pressed against the flask by means of the spring 45. the other packing rings providing'a seal when flasks of greater diameter are used. The metal is subjected to the pressure for a sufficient time toallow the casting to'form within the mold after which the handle 19 is raised to cause the table l to be moved" away from the plate 43 and allow the flask 20 to be removed therefrom. The lowering of the table 4 permits-the spring 45a) move the valve'member 29 to its lower ositionthereby cutting off the pressure. The operation of the valves shown in Fig. 3 is substantially as described above.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that by my invention I have provided an extremely effective and compact casting machine, that is adapted to utilize a plurality of combustible mediums for the production of the heating flame. The embodiment of the entire valve mechanism for controlling both the fuel and pressure mediums in the head portion of the machine permits the use of a common flame and pressure nozzle located centrally with respect to the mold The provision of a movable casting table also insures ready control of the space between the nozzle and the metal when heating, without interfering with the operation of the valve mechanism controlling the fuel supply. The same handle which controls the position of the casting table is also used to operate the valve members which cut off the flame and connect the molten metal to the source of pressure. The transition between flame propagation and the application of pressure to the lnollen metal is carried out automatically and almost instantaneously by a quick downward movement of the operating handle. In this way there is absolutely no opportunity for the molten metal to cool off between the time the flame is shut off and the time that pressure is applied thercto. The above described advantageous results have not been possible of attainment in the casting machines heretofore employed for the reason that the flame pipe has usually been located at one side of as W.

upper and lower valve members isentirely dependent one upon the other. This construction results in a simplicity and efiec tiveness'in operation not heretofore obtained.

lVhile I have shown my improved machine as being used in'connection with the pros duction'of metalcasting, it is not'so limited,

as it is obviousthat it is capable of'appli ca-.-

tion in the formation of relatively small castings for other purposes. I des1retherefore that only such limitation be imposed ther'eonas come within-the scope of% the appended claims.

I claim,

1. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a flask for. receiving a mold, a supplyof fuel, a source of pressure anda passage located above said 'li'ask, ofmeansfor causingre'lative movementi between said fiask and said passage,-a1id= valve mechanismadapted in different posisitions to connect the passage to either the fuel supply or the source of pressure, depending upon the relative position of said flask with respect to said passage.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a flask for receiving a mold, a supply of fuel, a source of pres sure and a passage located above said flask, of a valve mechanism adapted in one position to connect the passage to the fuel supply, and means dependent upon relative movement between said flask and said passage for moving said valve mechanism to another position and thereby cutting off the fuel supply and automatically connecting the contents of said flask to the source of pressure through said passage.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a flask for receiving a mold, a supply of fuel, a source of pressure and a passage located above said flask, of a valve mechanism adapted in one position to connect the said passage to the fuel supply, and in another position to connect said passage to the source of pressure, and means dependent upon relative movement between said flask and said passage for automatically moving said valve mechanism from one position to another.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a casting table for carrying a mold, of a valve mechanism located above the table and comprising a plurality of independently movable valve members I In my improved machine, 'all ofitlre ga's passages are located within a single member and theamovement of thefor controlling the flow of fuel and pressure mediums in the direction of the table, and means for transmitting movement of said table to said valve mechanism.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a casting table for carrying a mold, a source of fuel and a source of pressure, of a plurality of independently movable valve members for controlling the flow of fuel and pressure mediums from said sources in the direction of said table and means for moving said valve members in unison With said table.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination With a casting table for carrying a mold, of a valve mechanism located above the table and comprising a plurality of independently movable valve members for controlling the flow of fuel and pressure mediums in the direction of the table, one member of the said valve mechanism being adapted to be actuated by movement of said casting table.

7 In a machine of the class described, the combination with a vertically movable flask and a support located above the flask, of a plurality of valve members independently movable'within the support for controlling the flow of fuel and pressure mediums in the direction of the flask.

8. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with sources of fuel and pressure media, of a movable flask for receiving a mold, and means responsive to movement of said flask for procuring the transition from the application of heating medium to the application of pressure medium on the contents of said flask.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with sources of fuel and pressure media, of a movable flask for receiving a mold, and valve mechanism, controlling said heating and pressure media, adapted for operation by the movement of said flask, for procuring the transition from the application of heat to the application of pressure on the contents of said flask.

10. In a machine of the class described. the combination With sources of fuel and pressure media, of a movable flask for receiving a mold, and valve mechanism, controlling said heating and pressure media, adapted for operation by the movement of said flask, for procuring the transition from the application of heat to the application of pressure on the contents of said flask, said valve mechanism comprising tWo mem bers, one opening independently of the other, and adapted to be closed 'When said other is opened by movement of said flask.

LEON A. STORZ. 

